Health Shelf

Exercise · Upper body

Pull ups or inverted rows

Exercise A to Z

  • Strength

Works: Back, the fronts of your arms, and grip.

Add to a routineUsed in 3 timer routines

How to do it

Inverted rows

  1. Lie under a sturdy table with your chest below the edge, and grip the edge with your hands shoulder-width apart. Check first that the table can't tip or slide.
  2. Keep your body straight with your heels on the floor.
  3. Pull your chest up to the table, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower slowly.

Pull ups

  1. Hang from a bar with your hands just wider than your shoulders, palms facing away.
  2. Pull until your chin is over the bar.
  3. Lower slowly to straight arms.

Watch out for

Anything that isn't fixed firmly enough to take your weight, and swinging or kicking to get up.

Make it easier or harder

  1. 1Inverted rows with your knees bent and feet flat.
  2. 2Inverted rows with your legs straight.
  3. 3Lowering pull ups: step up so your chin is over the bar, then lower as slowly as you can.
  4. 4Pull ups.
  5. 5Slow pull ups: take three seconds to lower.

Do the difficulty that suits you.

Exercise from healthshelf.org

More exercises like this

Shoulder blade squeezesUpper back.RowsUpper back, the backs of your shoulders, and arms.Band pull-apartsUpper back and the backs of your shoulders.CurlsThe fronts of your arms.

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Safety and disclaimer

The workouts, exercise instructions and effort guide on this page are general information for adults. They are not tailored to you, they are not medical or professional advice, and they may not be suitable for you. They do not replace advice from a professional who knows you. Although exercise can be good for your health, all exercise carries some risk of injury.

Get advice from a doctor, physiotherapist or other qualified health professional before you start if:

  • you have a heart or lung condition, high blood pressure, diabetes or any other long-term condition
  • you have ever had chest pain, fainting or dizziness, with or without exercise
  • you have an injury, a joint or back problem, or pain when you move
  • you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last year
  • you have recently had an operation, or been ill
  • you take medicine that affects your heart rate, blood pressure or balance
  • you are new to exercise, or coming back after a long break
  • a doctor or other professional has told you to limit or avoid exercise
  • you have any other concern about your health

Stop straight away if you get chest pain or tightness, feel faint or dizzy, become unusually short of breath, feel your heart racing or beating irregularly, or feel sharp pain. Call 999, or your local emergency number, if you have chest pain or tightness, or if any of these does not settle quickly with rest.

Start at a level that feels comfortable and build up gradually. Clear the space around you, use a floor that is not slippery, and make sure any chair, step, bench or equipment is sturdy and will not move.

You choose whether to do these exercises and how hard to work, and you do them at your own risk. Read our full Medical Disclaimer.